It's a lot easier to get in if your from the US because tuition is free if you live in the UK (it's like a public university here.. kind of). They want American students because we have to pay more... even though it's still less expensive than most private colleges and universities here.

Tuition to St. Andrews is not free for UK students, only Scottish students. Accordingly, it is very difficult for Scottish students to find admission.

American students have a much easier time than others in gaining admission as tuition rates are much higher for American students. Capitalizing on Americans' willingness to pay in excess of $50,000 per year for first tier private universities, St. Andrews has proven more lenient when considering applications submitted by American students. Nonetheless, the majority of the American students attending are very well prepared and could thrive at top-tier American universities. The majority of Americans attending St. Andrews have attended America's most elite preparatory schools such as Phillips Exeter Academy, Andover, St. Paul's and Choate. While the many of these students may not have gained access to America's most selective universities, a handful of students gave up spots at Harvard, Yale and Princeton to attend St. Andrews. The typical St. Andrews student would have otherwise attended a top 15 American university if not attending St. A's. Still, there are a small handful of students who slip through the cracks who find the academics at St. Andrews rather challenging.

If the pool of visiting students says anything about the university's academics, the majority of Junior Semester Abroad visitors come from Harvard, Columbia, Middlebury, Trinity, UVA and UNC.

While the statistics listed by NYTimes (3.3 GPA/1300SAT) may appear low by comparison to America's more selective universities, the majority of students accepted to St. Andrews reflect an academic record closer to 3.7GPA/1440SAT.

In general, students with a GPA of 3.5 and 1350 SAT should bode well assuming their personal statements are crafted creatively and without grammatical flaws of any sort.

St. Andrews is currently listed among the top 5 UK Universities, typically appearing just behind Oxbridge (Oxford/Cambridge).

For the curious, job prospects for St. Andrews students are plentiful in comparison to many American universities. As most Americans at St. Andrews are rather affluent and educated in private preparatory schools, St. Andrews exists as a true crossroads for America's elite. While St. Andrews is known for a rigid class hierarchy, students from less affluent backgrounds should not fear the social system at St. Andrews. St. Andrews students are among the most friendly individuals one might meet.

The opportunities for personal growth at St. Andrews are without parallel. Students often spend at least two weekends away from Fife throughout the semester. Groups of students often plan short vacations to continental Europe, both for academic reasons and for pleasure.

Does anyone know the acceptance statistics of the previous incoming classes because the exact numbers are hard to come by online. And Congrats to Mr Bobo! I want to be in the Medicine program there! Any advice/suggestions?

I'm not sure if this can help but my SAT score is 2050 and my ACT score is 30 (my test taking skills suck) and my GPA is a 3.9. I was accepted into the International Relations program at St. Andrews a few weeks ago. I decided to apply to St. Andrews because of its renowned IR program, the chance to study abroad for 4 years, and the remote nature of Fife. I completely agree that the website is hard to navigate! I used wikipedia to learn more about it and checked out their student website St Andrews SA Students Association - The Home for St Andrews SA University Students to learn a little more about student life. I am also visiting in early March so I will make sure to post my thoughts about it after my trip. :)

"It's considered the best university in Scotland, and one of the top in the UK,..."

Historically, the University of Edinburgh was considered the best university in Scotland. Today, its standing has declined a little and I would say that Edinburgh and St. Andrews are both considered on equal footing. Both are excellent universities, considered among the top 10-15 universities in the UK.

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